Combination garment drier and solvent still



Oct. 24, 1944. F; Y. SHERBONDY 2,350,985

I COMBINATION GARMENT DRIER AND SOLVENT STILL Filed Jan. 10, 1942 Fig.3

IN V EN TOR.

Patented Oct. 24, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION GARMENT DRIER AND SOLVENT STILL Frank Y. Sherbondy, San Antonio, Tex.

Application January 10, 1942, Serial No. 426,346

' 1 Claim. (01. 34-76) My invention relates to improvements in a machine for the vaporizing of cleaning solvents in order to dry the garments, on whichsaid cleaning solvents have been used, and the provision of means for the recovery of the cleaning solvent vaporized during the drying operation.

An object of my invention is the provision of a machine wherein the vaporizing of the cleaning solvent and the recovery thereof is accomplished automatically.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine in which practically all the cleaning solvent carried by the garments when they are placed in the drier is subject to recovery. In present types of driers all'the cleaning solvent carried by the garments is vaporized and discharged into the atmosphere thereby representing a total loss of all cleaning solvent carried into the drier with the garments. By combining a still in conjunction with the drier whereby cleaning solvent vaporized from the garments may be condensed and recovered the cost of solvent required in the cleaning operation is substantially reduced.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following specification.

These objects are accomplished as described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

An examination of the drawing will disclose 3 and extending from one end thereof to the other. I

The tumbler I is rotated by means of the pulley 5 and belt 8 driven from asuitable reducing gear loading the tumbler or the removal of garments therefrom. The position of the garments II in the tumbler l is shown in Fig. 3.

- The enclosed portion 2 of the housing 3 is provided with a loading and unloading door I2 which in its normal closed position seats upon a gasket I3 thereby preventing the escape of air or vapors between the housing and its door. Interior the enclosed portion 2 of the housing and located between the housing and the tumbler I are a series of heating coils I4 connected with suitable inlet and discharge lines I5 and I5 respectively. The coils I4 are disposed lengthwise between the tumbler I and the housing 3 and, as is illustrated in Figure 1, the coils I5 are arranged above the horizontal center of the tumbler I and to the side of the vertical center of the tumbler I remote from the loading'and unloading door I2. This door I2, as illustrated in the drawings, is in the upper portion of the housing 3 and substan tially to one side of the vertical center of the tumbler I.

A compressor II driven by, the motor 8 discharges through the line I8 to the enclosed portion 2 of the housing preferably at a point above and at substantially the center of the heating coils I l so as to heat the air as it enters the housing and before it enters the tumbler.

The lower-periphery of the enclosed portion 2 is provided with a screen I 9 extending the length of the housing and over the well 4'. -The coils v 8 are supported ina tank 26 provided with suitl which is connected with the motor 8. The

tumbler I is composed of a cylindrical framework whose periphery is enclosed with suitable screening 9 and a loading door Iii for the purpose of able cooling liquid inlet and discharge lines 2i and 22 respectively. All of the coils 4 are in communication at their lower ends and below the tank 20 with a solvent discharge line 23 leading to the exterior of the housing at one end thereof. A door 24 at one end of the housing enclosure 2 provides means for the removal of the screen I9 when the screen becomes fouled.

In operation, the doors I2 and Ill of the housing and tumbler respectively are opened to permit the garments to be deposited in the tumbler, I

as shown in Fig. 3, after which the doors are closed and the motor 8 is started. Since the tumbler I and the compressor H are both connected to the motor 8 a current of air will be started through the enclosed portion 2 of the housing, the tumbler I, and the condensing coils 4 simultaneously with the starting of the motor.

The heating medium, preferably steam, is next ing and solvent recovering operations are automatlc until the garments are dried and all solvent carried by the garments when they were placed in the machine has been recovered through condensation in the coils l. The screen it serves tocatch all lint or other fragments of the garments which otherwise might foul the condenser coils l.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the current or heated air in passing between and through the garments as they are agitated in the rotating tumbler will serve to vaporize the cleaning solvent carried by the garments and ture so disclosed but may be altered to conform' with varying operating conditions so long as said alterations do not 'iepart from the spirit oi the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 01 the United States is:

A combination garment drier and solvent still comprising an elongated horizontally disposed housing, vertical end walls and a side wall integral with the housing and supporting the same and forming a chamber below the housing, a cylindrical toraminous walled tumbler supported horizontally within the housing for rotation, said housing wall being formed directly beneath the tumbler to provide a sump extending lengthwise of the housing and enclosed in the upper part 0! said chamber, means for heating the interior 0! the housing, means for injecting air into the housing, and a condenser unit within the chamber beneath the sump and comprising'a receptacle supported by and between the end walls and a coil within the receptacle having one end opening through the bottom of said sump to receive vapor from the housing.

FRANK Y. SHERBONDY. 

